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Ok so how bad is this gonna hurt?



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My surgery is 8/24. So pumped. My concern is that drain tube that I will have for a week. How gross is that? That is the only part I am not looking forward to. Have not concerns about pain, gas etc all that can be handled. Any advice on that?

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Thanks for asking this question and all the responses. I too wonder about how it's gonna feel. I picture a really bad stomach ache?? My date is Sept. 13th

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Edited by marrse

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Thanks for asking this question and all the responses. I too wonder about how it's gonna feel. I picture a really bad stomach ache?? My date is Sept. 13th

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Somebody will be along in a few minutes to tell you they spent two years taking bariatric support classes......learning all they could......then had the surgery now barely 8 weeks out they'll tell you it was a mistake, yada yada.

Give that whatever credit you deem appropriate........and then listen to the vast majority of people who've had VSG surgeries.

I think you'll conclude that most don't even have the stomach ache you mentioned. Just a bit of tenderness around the tiny sutures is all. Most are off all pain meds in a day or so.

I was shocked at my low pain level. The only discomfort I had was from an abdominal hernia repair that was done with my sleeve surgery.

Pleasantly surprised at the low pain level and fast recovery.

To read some of the reports around here you'd think folks had been eviscerated by fire-breathing dragons.........get past those and read the opinions of the majority.......

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Keep it positive and remember it is rare to have complications if you follow instructions. I went home with a script for pain meds and use two. I used Tylenol mostly. I went shopping first week. Second week to the beach.

Every day is better than the day before. Remember that you've changed your life and health to the positive not the negative!

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Thanks for asking this question and all the responses. I too wonder about how it's gonna feel. I picture a really bad stomach ache?? My date is Sept. 13th

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Somebody will be along in a few minutes to tell you they spent two years taking bariatric support classes......learning all they could......then had the surgery now barely 8 weeks out they'll tell you it was a mistake, yada yada.

Give that whatever credit you deem appropriate........and then listen to the vast majority of people who've had VSG surgeries.

I think you'll conclude that most don't even have the stomach ache you mentioned. Just a bit of tenderness around the tiny sutures is all. Most are off all pain meds in a day or so.

I was shocked at my low pain level. The only discomfort I had was from an abdominal hernia repair that was done with my sleeve surgery.

Pleasantly surprised at the low pain level and fast recovery.

To read some of the reports around here you'd think folks had been eviscerated by fire-breathing dragons.........get past those and read the opinions of the majority.......

Aw bless! Thanks for thinking of me!

Actually, if I was going to comment, (and I wasn't but I can see you want me to) I would say the same.

My drain was an old fashioned one that was stitched to my upper abdomen. It didn't hurt, nor did my actual surgery. (No evisceration at all but love the Game of Thrones image!)

You can't feel the drain, and when they take it out, you won't feel it.

I wore a dressing gown with a pocket in so just tucked the drain bag into my pocket.

My surgeon left that incision open to heal, not sure that happens everywhere. Took awhile to heal but I had hospital dressings that I changed myself until it healed.

If the drain is your worry, you have no worry.

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I spent 2 days in the hospital because I couldn't get enough fluids down. It just was not happening. I tried. The most uncomfortable part was the IV in my hand and being attached to the IV machine in a hospital room with 2 beds. Not enough room. It was difficult to get up and get the tubes organized (while loopy from the medication) so I could walk down the hallway. I walked a lap around the hospital floor as soon as they took me to my room after surgery. No hesitation. I give myself a gold star for that. We were told the quicker we got up and walked, the better, so I did, many times. Basically pushed the button when I needed pain med which was not as often as I was allowed to have it, but I did feel like I needed it to help me with the pain and relax and sleep every few hours. We were told in the mandatory pre surgery classes to stay ahead of the pain. It was kind of weird, my body shook like I was shivering. I asked why I was shaking and they said maybe from the pain. But the pain didn't seem that bad. Blankets didn't help, only the pain med helped. After I went home I took a total of 2 pain pills over the next few days. And that was with hesitation after a few nights of not sleeping well. Glad I did. Heparin shots were given to me in my stomach every few hours at the hospital and I had to continue them for several days at home. That sucked. Hubby did that for me. Went back to a desk job after 9 days with no issues. At 3 weeks I felt GREAT! Stick to your prescribed diet. I did and have had no vomiting or foamies. Every few weeks I see a bariatric nutritionist and I attend monthly support meetings. I HIGHLY recommend you consider using them. These meetings provide a lot of information and motivation. 50lbs down and that is only one small benefit. I don't obsess over how I am going to loose weight anymore, and my risk of several life threatening illnesses is decreasing. The result of VSG surgery and my commitment to a healthier lifestyle has been both a physical and mental relief for me. It's only 50 lbs. I could stand to loose at least that much more. But what a difference already! Would DEFINATELY do it again in a heartbeat. So worth it! You can do this.

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Thanks for asking this question and all the responses. I too wonder about how it's gonna feel. I picture a really bad stomach ache?? My date is Sept. 13th

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

For me, I felt like I had overdone it on an abdominal workout for about 3 days post op. Especially as I got up and down from sitting or laying in bed. That was the worst of it.

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My stomach didn't hurt. My incisions had minimal pain; like @@higher I just felt soreness, really. The larger incision where they took out my stomach was the only one that really hurt at all. I am one of the unlucky ones who had a good bit of nausea, though. I never threw up, but I wanted to at times. But they have really good meds to turn that around if you have it. Mine kind of held on for a while, but it got better each day. I had to experiment with temperature to be able to get my Water down. I had to drink it not as cold as I like for the first couple of weeks, since the ice cold Water made the nausea come around. Happily, I am back to my beloved ice-water. I had better luck with broth right after my surgery; the Protein drinks were too sweet at first. I also hated the Protein powder that I had used with great success prior to surgery. My tastes changed somewhat after surgery. I no longer like bacon, which surprised me a little. I love melon of all kinds now, and i never really did before. Everyone is different, but these are a few of my experiences. Walk as much as you can as soon as you can--that's one thing that holds true for everyone. It will help your soreness and the gas. Plus it helps prevent blood clots. Best wishes, and don't be too nervous. You can do it!

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    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
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    • BeanitoDiego

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    • ChunkCat

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    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
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